Perfection Fennel OG

(72 days) Open-pollinated. Our best-selling new variety in 2013. The acme of Perfection in bulbing fennel, and a good performer in cool soils. Has shown up well in repeated trials, even in warm seasons. Nearly as bolt proof as those pricey hybrids seven times the cost and 5–7 days longer-standing than Zefa Fino, with much thicker bulbs. Our thanks to Eric Schori of Gnarlwood Farm in Lempster, NH, who suggested Perfection. “We may not have the long springs and Willamette River silts of Corvallis, OR, but I’ve seen Perfection large enough to be used to subdue an ornery moose. I haven’t gotten it that big here in the Northeast, but it still makes a superb bulbing fennel even at more modest sizes. Sauté with onions, yellow peppers and a little toasted sesame oil and you may succumb to the temptation to keep it all for yourself instead of taking it to market.” ~290 seeds/g. ①

Additional Information

Fennel

Foeniculum vulgare

Perennial grown as an annual with a licoricey taste. Tender stalks and leaves are good for relishes, salads and garden munchies; leaves and seeds excellent with fish. May also be grilled, sauteéd or steamed. Seeds used in sweets, baked goods & beverages. Aids digestion while reducing flatulence. Can soothe bronchial coughs.

Culture: Fennel prefers rich well-drained slightly limey soil. Direct seed in late April or early May. Do not allow to dry out. Adequate spacing to 8–12" apart is critical. Enjoy the tender juicy thinnings. If left overcrowded all varieties will bolt prematurely. Has potential as a fall crop hardy to under 20°. Sow in early summer to discourage bolting; keep soil surface moist.

Herbs

Statements about medicinal use of plants have not been evaluated by the FDA, and should not be used for the diagnosis, treatment, cure or prevention of any ailment. Before using or ingesting any medicinal plant, consult a healthcare practitioner familiar with botanical medicine.

About medicinal herbs: Archeological evidence dates the medicinal use of herbs back 60,000 years to the Neandertals. 85% of the world’s population employ herbs as medicines, and 40% of pharmaceuticals in the U.S. contain plant-derived materials. Fewer than 10% of higher plant species have been investigated for their medicinal components. Interest in traditional herbal remedies continues to grow.

Herb culture: To substitute fresh herbs for dried in cooking, use triple the dried quantity called for in a recipe.

Drying herbs at home is not difficult. Whole leaves retain their flavor at least a year.

Some herbs are customarily grown from divisions because they cannot come true from seed, such as scented thymes and flavored mints. Some require fall sowing of fresh seed, such as sweet cicely and angelica, and these become available in August or September.